The invention is directed to an electronic camera system. More specifically, the invention is directed to an electronic camera system that includes a transmission mechanism for sending image data to selected receiver units.
Motion video cameras and electronic still cameras have been utilized for several years in applications involving image data transmission. Electronic image data generated from a video camera, for example, can be transmitted by a conventional broadcast television station and received by any television in the broadcast area tuned to the appropriate channel. It is not possible, however, for the transmitter to select which receivers will obtain the image data, as selection is controlled at the receiver. Image data from electronic still cameras has been transmitted via conventional telephone lines to selected receivers through the use of a computer equipped with a modem. The image data must first be downloaded from the electronic still camera to the computer, which then transmits the image data to a second modem equipped computer via the telephone line where it can be viewed or printed. Unfortunately, the requirement for a telephone line to transmit image data does not allow images to be quickly and easily transmitted from remote field locations to receiver units. While systems have been proposed that utilize radio frequency transmission to transmit image data from an electronic camera to an individual base unit, none of these systems have the capability of selectively transmitting image data to a plurality of receiver units.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receive units.
The invention provides an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receiver units. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a camera module is detachably coupled to a portable computer including a display screen and a data entry device. The camera module includes an electronic image sensor for generating digital image data representative of a scene to be imaged. The electronic image data generated by the camera module is supplied to the portable computer for display on the display screen. The data entry device is used by an operator to select which of the plurality of base units are to receive the digital image data. The digital image data is supplied by the portable computer to a radio-frequency transmitter module for transmission to the selected receiver units. The radio-frequency transmitter module is formed either integral with the portable computer or, like the camera module, is detachably coupled to the portable computer. In a further preferred embodiment, a combined telephone/camera unit is provided that includes a camera module for generating electronic image data representative of a scene to be imaged, a memory unit for storing the electronic image data generated by the camera module, a display screen for displaying the electronic image data stored in the memory unit, a mechanism for selecting which of the plurality of receiver units is to receive the digital image data, and a cellular transceiver for transmitting the digital image data to the receiver units selected by the selection mechanism.